Why we need a national school food program
Student nutrition is more important than ever in Hamilton
Another year, another Great Big Crunch!
Every year, Tastebuds, Hamilton’s Student Nutrition Collaborative, takes part in the Great Big Crunch along with schools across Canada.
What is Tastebuds? Just an incredible program that provides healthy food for all kids in 106 locations, here in the Hammer. Breakfast, or morning meal, snacks or lunch are provided to over 20,000 students each and every school day. To do this, Tastebuds relies on 150 or more volunteers who prepare and deliver food to the students. Food costs are funded in part by the Government of Ontario, but most of the money comes from donations made by local partner organizations and generous individuals.
This year the Great Big Crunch is planned for March 9. Students, teachers, parents and those passionate about school food will bite into apples to make a noise for healthy school food. The Crunch has been going on since 2008, but this year, we want it to be louder than ever to bring attention to the need for a national school food program. Canada is the only G7 nation not to have one.
The COVID-19 crisis proved that school food is an essential public good and that it plays an important role in ensuring that all children in Hamilton are well-nourished and ready to learn.
Everyone is aware that food costs have soared, and that has resulted in an increased demand for food at schools. Tastebuds would like to see all K-12 students have daily access to healthy food at school.
Clearly it is more important than ever for the federal government to step up to the plate and make a national school food program a reality.
We would also like to see the provincial governments immediately increase their funding to school food programs to keep up with inflation and make sure that Tastebuds continues to meet the needs of each school program.
There is no doubt that connecting children and youth to healthy food not only makes them healthy, but educates them about what healthy food is as well.
This can only help to improve the future of our region since educators know, and research has shown, that children and youth learn better when they are not hungry and have been fed healthy food. When kids learn about healthy food by learning to grow, cook, eat and value healthy foods, it can play a critical role in reducing chronic disease, while strengthening our economy and supporting the agri-food sector.
Using food as a means to create experiential opportunities is a brilliant way to meet curriculum requirements. Children can learn how their food is grown, raised and produced; how they can be stewards of the land and water; the importance of cultural diversity; and the value of collaboration- all expectations in the school curriculum. Food literacy education can teach them to make food choices that are good for health and the environment and how to prepare meals for themselves in the future.
There are opportunities for community connectedness as well when connecting kids and food. Food can bring together community members and partners including local food providers, chefs, families, seniors, elders and knowledge keepers, and socially excluded or vulnerable groups to create relationships across generations, build skills, and be a part of a supportive community. Good healthy food can support student and community well-being and it can help connect us all.
Tastebuds is a member of the Coalition for Healthy School Food which is advocating for a national program with federal government funding that will ensure all school aged children and youth in Canada can enjoy a tasty and nutrition meal in their school every day! This year we need to “Crunch” loudly to remind the government of Canada to include money in its 2023 budget for student nutrition programs as promised since 2019.